September 2007

Sophie's big  news is that she started studying ballet at Fonteyn Academy in Peekskill. She has three classes per week and they have very strict rules about conduct in and outside of class.  The director, Ken Ludden, seems like an inspired and inspirational person with a vision.  He impressed us in his conviction that Sophie has a lot of potential on stage and in ballet, that she has a lot to express that can be channeled through performing, and that his method can work with her as long as she is genuinely motivated.  Sophie  is highly motivated at this point in time.  We are thrilled at the possibilities.

Sophie is now in third grade at Van Cortlandtville (public school near Peekskill) with Ms. Wienecke, is taking Hebrew School twice a week, and is taking piano lessons too.  Practicing is often a chore, and Sophie abhors chores.  Some days she practices piano beautifully with just a little encouragement.  Waiting for the bus on the first day of school:
 

Dalia has grown about 2 inches in the last 4-6 months.  She is as gregarious as ever, making friends right and left.  She likes to dress like a "groovy girl" and always gets the "cute" award.  She does her homework with gusto.  She can be impish at times, she knows just when to pester us (when we are busy with something else!). Both girls get on the school bus at 7:50 each morning, so we all get up around 6:50.  Dalia loves to draw and dance.  Below is her rendering of some characters from the cartoon Arthur.

Judy is now active on the education committee of our synagogue, last weekend she chanted the first Torah reading on the second day of Rosh Hashanah.  We love our new synagogue (Beacon Hebrew Alliance) and Noel is the webmaster.  We are just getting to know our  new Rabbi and the new Cantor Ellen is already a friend.

Judy is still teaching ASL (sign language) to toddlers 2x per month.  She is also hooping and selling hoops to friends.  She has been enjoying learning to play guitar but has taken a small break from classes.

Noel is still active in the Old Road Society, which now has its own website .  Guess who the webmaster is? Noel's business Datacap is still humming along nicely.  Sept 10-11 we had a very successful "user conference" with over 100 attendees.  We are growing our management structure and we have a new partnership with another company that incorporates our software into theirs, under their "label" (Optio software ).

My 52nd birthday coincided with a wonderful Bulgarian music & dance party at Breezy Hill Orchard. 

Our family took our annual vacation in the Catskills at Balkan Music & Dance Camp. As always, it was a fantastic time, a complete getaway from everyday concerns, a chance to dance and sing and play music that we love with lots of our friends almost all day and night.  The girls are just as in love with it as we are.  There is a kids program during 2 of the 5 daily activity slots.  Judy was on staff this year as helper.  I have some nice videos but I didn't take many pictures.  I will post pix as soon as I get them.  Group Hoop at Balkan camp (and most everywhere we go) was a blast:

Since I found out I need surgery, I have been spending extra time with the family, savoring our wonderful time together and giving the girls as much good attention as possible.  I have received SO MUCH love and support from you, my dear friends and family, THANK YOU!  Togetherness:

Love,
Noel